Maritime Museum of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Guida per visitatori e cosa fare nei dintorni

The Maritime Museum of British Columbia in Victoria, BC, is a museum devoted to the seafaring history of Canada's Pacific coast. Its collections cover the ships, sailors, explorers and traders who shaped Victoria's life as a harbour city, and it has long been one of the best places to understand why this city sits where it does.

The story behind it

The museum was founded in the mid-1950s by people who wanted to preserve the naval and merchant history of the province. For many years it was housed in the old provincial courthouse in Bastion Square, close to the spot where Victoria's first fort stood on the harbour. The courthouse was designed by the architect Francis Rattenbury, who also designed the Parliament Buildings and the Empress Hotel.

The collection is best known for the Tilikum, a dugout canoe that Captain John Voss sailed from Victoria to England in the early 1900s with a small crew. It is a small boat for such a long voyage, and the story still draws visitors. The museum has been going through changes in recent years, so check its current location and what is on display before you set out.

What to look for

• Look for anything connected to the Tilikum, the dugout canoe that made a voyage across oceans, and take a moment to judge how small it really is.
• Notice the ship models and nautical instruments, which show how vessels and navigation changed over the years on this coast.
• If you pass Bastion Square, look up at the old courthouse building and its Rattenbury-designed architecture.
• Pay attention to how close the harbour is from the surrounding streets, as it explains the museum's subject better than any label.

Tips for your visit

• Check current opening hours, location and which galleries are open before you go, as the museum's arrangements have changed over time.
• Allow an hour or two if the galleries are open, and a little longer if you enjoy reading about ships and voyages.
• Pair it with a walk along the Inner Harbour, which is close by and shows the working waterfront the museum is about.
• Morning or late afternoon is pleasant for walking the surrounding streets, with softer light on the harbour.

See it on a quest

The quest Murder Mystery: Death in the Shadows in James Bay, Victoria is a good way to see this part of the city. You reach the museum on foot as one stop of a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle on the spot. It suits anyone who likes a mystery as much as a museum. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like, with no guide and no set departure time.